Everything You Need to Know About Sunscreen: Page 2

Summer's here and the time is right ... for photos, to get us in the proper spirit for what's ahead. We'll take a look first at the good things augured by summer's arrival. Then, we'll remind you of the bad, just because we're realistic like that.
Our planet's Northern Hemisphere is ready for its metaphorical beachwear, as of June 21, which marks the summer solstice. Socially, the summer solstice means it's time for school to be out, for swimming, for barbecues. But astronomically speaking, it marks the longest day of the year. Of course, the poor Southern Hemisphere gets to start winter, but that's another story, and probably another gallery!
This image comes from NOAA's GOES-13 satellite and shows the Americas on June 21, 2012.
Sun Celebrates Solstice with Flare

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

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Life's a beach, right? What's more gooder than that? Time to break out the volleyball nets, accidentally crush children's sand castles, or just run in the water and then run back out again because it's still too cold for your liking.
Top 10 Beaches of 2013

Getty Images

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Don't have access to a beach? Go jump in a lake! OK, that came out wrong. Er, enjoy some fun in the body of water of your choice, if you can find one.
Lake That Turns Animals to Stone? Not Quite

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Hiking is the only way to climb, for some summer-timers. You might step out on the Tahoe Rim Trail, for example.
VIDEO: Monster Goldfish Invade Lake Tahoe

California State Parks

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For kids, summer means school's out and it's time for swimming. They'll spend as much time wet as dry.
Swimming Apes Take to the Pool

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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Summer is also a time for barbecues. Your resident grill master will be rested and ready, after a winter spent staring forlornly at the giant Weber under the tarp.
12 Must-Haves for Great Grilling and Better BBQ'ing

iStockphoto

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If a BBQ's not your thing, maybe it's sailing. Of course, you might not have access to PlanetSolar’s catamaran Tûranor, the largest ship in the world to run on solar power alone, but you'll find a way to sail something in the water. An inflatable raft is always nice.
Remote-Control Cargo Ships Could Set Sail

PlanetSolar

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And, now, we must turn to the bad ledger for summer. Bad as in worrisome, dangerous, or ... just a little bit annoying.
Remember the beach we saw earlier? Here's an unwelcome guest near any beach. Sadly, it will be a lucky summer if we don't hear many stories of sharks lingering too close to shore (and all of those big and small feet sloshing around in the surf). Sure, the shark can't help being a shark, but we'd rather he just stick to deeper waters.
Shark-Eat-Shark: Are Great White Sharks Cannibals?

Albert Kok, Wikimedia Commons

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Sizzzzzzle. We won't find anyone willing to put sunburns in summer's "good" column. Thankfully, there are plenty of sticks, creams, roll-ons and other assorted goop we can slather on ourselves to keep the sun's rays at bay. We all know the sunblock drill by now ... right?

Getty Images

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With the increased heat of summer, up also goes the likelihood of wildfires. We can all hope they're held at bay this summer, and that people are careful with their flammables out in the forest.
PHOTOS: Wildfire Season Off to a Hot Start

Just as likely as wildfires will be a heat wave or three. We're torn about this particular scene. No one likes a prolonged heat wave, but what's not fun about standing in a fountain? Perhaps this is a perfect place to end our gallery. Have a great summer, DNews readers!

"Available peer-reviewed scientific literature and regulatory assessments from national and international bodies do not support a link between oxybenzone in sunscreen and hormonal alterations, or other significant health issues in humans," said Dr. Daniel M. Siegel, president of the AAD, in a 2012 statement.

"The FDA has approved oxybenzone in sunscreen for use on children older than six months, and dermatologists continue to encourage protecting children by playing in the shade, wearing protective clothing and applying broad-spectrum sunscreen."

Lotion or Spay?

Despite the convenience of spray sunscreens, most groups are recommending avoiding or limiting use of them out of concern that nano-particles find their way into lungs. The FDA has requested data from manufacturers before making a recommendation, and the AAD and Consumer Reports say to use with caution, especially on children. EWG recommends avoiding them entirely.

"The strict medical answer is that the sun is a proven carcinogen," he said. "It's probably the most common carcinogen known to man...so there really is no tan that is a healthy tan. Any amount of tan means your skin has been exposed to a carcinogen which increases the chances of cancer years later...and if you're wearing sunscreen and still getting tan, then you're not putting it on often enough or thick enough."

The EWG recommends avoiding the sun during peak hours and wearing naturally sun-resistant clothing (hold it up to the sun to see how much light gets through), hats, and sunglasses, in combination with a safe sunscreen.

"If I were giving recommendations, I'd say to find something you'll use," Brewer said. "I get asked all the time, what's the right sunscreen for me? I can explain what SPF means, but the bottom line is, if you're going to use the SPF 15 every day because it's easy to put on," that's probably the best choice. It's the habit that’s protective. Even an SPF of 15 put on daily can decrease the chances of skin cancer by 50 percent over a person's lifetime.